Section 15

L i fought
60 Natural Magick, Hoohy 3.
fought for. But happily I fhali hereafter , if God will, write of tbefe things, for the delight , and lpecuiation , and profit of the more curious forr : which I have neither time nor leifure now 10 mention, feeing this work is ruffled up in haite. But let us fee
How Toad-ftoolsmay be genera e A.
V'ofcorides, and others have written, That the bark of a whi.e Poplar-Tree, and of a bia.k, being cut into imall pieces, and lowed in dunged lands or furrows, will at all times of the year bring forth mufhromes or toad-tfools that are good to be eaten. And in another place he faith, that they are more particularly gene- rated in thofe places, where there lies fome old rufty iron, or fome rotten cloth: but fuch as grow neer to a Serpents hole , or any noifome Plants, are very hurt- ful. But Tarentintu fpeaks of this matter more precifely. If, frith he, you cut the ftock of a black Poplar peece-meai into the earth , and pour upon it fome leaven that harh been fteeped in water, there will i'oon grow up fome Poplar toad-flool?. He addeth further >, If an up-land or hilly field that hath in it much ftubble and ma- ny ftalks of corn, be fet on fire at fuch time as there is rain brewing in the clouds, then the rain falling, will caufemany toad-ftools there to fpring up of their own accord : but if, after the field is thus fet on fire, happily the rain which the clouds betore threatned doth not fall; then, if you take a thin linnen cloth, and let the water drop through by little and little like rain, upon fome part of the field where the fire hath been, there will grow uptoad-ftools, but not fo good as other wiie they would be, if they had been nourifhed with a fhowre of rain. Next we will fhew
How S per age may be generated,
Vydimtu writes, That if any man would have good ftore of Sperage to grow, he muli cake the horns of wilde Rams, and beat them into very imall powder, and fow them in eared ground, and water it, and he fha.ll have his intent. There is one that reports a more Grange matter j that if you take whole Rams horns not pownec) into {mail pieces, bur, only cut a little, and make a hole in them, and lb let ibem, they will bring forth Sperage. VUny is of Vidymus opinion, that if the horns be powned and "igged into the earth, they will yield Sperage; though D/ofcortdes thinks it to be impeflible. And though I have made often trial hereof, biu could noi find it fotobe, yec my friends have told me of their own experience, that the lame ten- der feed that is contained within the Rams horn, hath produced Sperage. The fame my friends alfo have reported
lhat Ivy doth grow out of the Harts horn ;
and Ariflotle writes of an Husband-man that found fuch an experiment • though for my own part I never tried it. But Theophrafiw writes, that there was Ivy foun^ growing in the Harts horn ; whereas it is inapoflible to think how any Ivy feed could get in there: and whereas feme alledge,that the Hart might have rubbed his borp t:zainft fome Ivy roots, and fo fome part of the horn being foft and ready to putrifie, did receive into it fome part of the root, and by this means it might there grow ; this Aippofal carries no fhew of probability or credit with it. But if theie things be true, as I can lay or fee nothing to the contrary, then furely no man will deny but that divers kinds of plants may be generated of divers kinds of living Creatures horns. In like manner, may plants be generated of the putrified bafksajBd bougfts of old Trees: for fo is
Pofypodj, and the herb Hyphear -generated j
on* a.o n to , rnatff w , bwori f .-^ijr n i
for both thefe,and divers other plants alfo,do grow up in Firre-treej,tnd Pine-trees, and :uch othertfor in many Trees, neer to the bark, there is a certain fiegmatick Of nvr.fl humour, that is wont to putrifie ; which, when it abounds too* much with- in, breaks forth into the outward fhew of the boughs and the ftock of tbe Tree ;
ana
Of the TroduBion of nevo Plants. 61
ftp J there it meets with the putrsfied humour of the bark; and the heat of the Sua working upon it there, quickly turns it into fuch kinds of herbs.
Chap. II.
How Plants are changed, one of them degenerating into the form of the oth:r.
TTO work Miracles, is nothing elfe (as I fuppofe) but to turn one thing into ano- ther , or to effoft: thole things which arc contrary to the ordinary courfe of Na- ture. It may be done by negligence, or by cunning handling and drefling them, that plants may forfake their own natural kind, and be quite turred into another kind ; wholly degenerating, both in tafte, and colour, and bigneffc, and fafhion: and this I fay may eafily be done, either if ycu ncglc& to dreffe or handle them ac- cording to their kind, or elfe dreffe them more carefully and artificially then their own kind requires. Furthermore, every plant hath his proper manner, and peculiar kind of lowing or planting : for fome muff be fowed by feed, others planted by the whole ftem, others fet by fome root, others graffed by fome fprig or branch : fo that if that which fhould be fowed by feed, be planted by the root, or fet by the whole (rock, cr graffed by fome branch j or if any that fhou'.d be thus planted be fowed by feed ; that which cometh up will be of a divers kinde from that which grows ufually, if it be planted according to its own nature, as Theophra/lta writes. Likewife if you fhall change their place, their air,their ground,& fuch like,you pervert their kind;and youfhall find that the young growing plant will refcmble another kind, both in co- lour and fafhion ; all which are clear cafes by the books of Husbandry. Some ex- amples we will here rehear fe. If you would change
A white Vtne ir.to a blacky) or a black, into a white ; fow the feed of a white Garden-Vine, and that which cometh of it, will be a black Wilde-vine ; and fb the feed of a black Garden-vine will bring forth a white Wilde- vine, as Theophraftus teacheth. The reafon is,becaufe a Vine is not fowed by feed, but the natural planting of it is by fprigs and roots. Wherefore if you deal with it otherwifethen the kind requires, that which cometh of it muft needs be unkind- ly. By the like means
A white Fig- tree may degenerate into a black. for the ftoneof a Fig, if it be fet, never brings forth any other butawildeor a wood Fig-tree, and fiach as mod commonly is of a quite contrary colour ; fo that of a white figtree it degenerates into a black, and contrariwife a black fig-tree degene- rates into a white. Sometimes alfo, of aright and noble Vine is generated a ba- ftard Vine,and that fo different in kind oftentimes, that it hath nothing of the right garden-vine, but all meerly wilde. In like manner alfo are changed
The red Myrtle and the red Bay- tree into blacky and cannot chufe but lofe tbeir colour : for cheCe likewife degenerate, a-s the fame Theofhrafim reports to have been feen in Antandrut j for the Myrtle is not fowed by feed, but planted by grafting ; and the Bay-tree is planted by letting a little fprig thereof that hath in it fome part of the root, as we have fhewed in our difcourfe of Husbandry. So alfo arc
Sweet Almonds and fweet Pomegranates changed into jowre ones. for the ftones or kernelsof the Pomegranates are changed from their right blue, in- to a bafer colour ; and the Pomegranate it felf, though it be never fo good, degene- rates into a hard, and commonly a fliarp fruir. The Almond degenerates likewife both in tafte, and alfo in feeling j for of a foft one cometh a harder : therefore we are counselled to graffe him when he is prettily well grown, or elfe to change him, and fliifthim oft. An Oak likewife will become worfe: and therefore whereas the beft grows in Epyms, and many have planted the fame elfewhere, yet they could
never
6% Natural Mag ick. *Bookj.
never produce the like of that. In like manner, of the kernel of the natural Olive tometh a wilde Olive ; (and they that fay that the male Cyprefle-tree for the moil part degenerates into a female ;) and in procefle cf time there is iuch a change, that it agrceth in nothing with the natural Olive, but is fo (tark wilde, that fome- timesit cannot bring forth fruit to any perfection. Varro kith that
Coleworts are changed into Ra^e% and Rape into Coleworts. Old feed is of fo great force in fome things, that it quite changeth the nature ; for the old feed of Coleworts being lowed, brings forth Rape ; and contrariwifc, old Rape-feed degenerates into Coleworts. By labour alfo and drcfllng
The Corn Typha, and Spelt ^ are changed into Wheats And Wheat into them j forthismaybedone, if you take them being of a thorough ripenefle, and knead them, and then plant them ; but this will not fo prove the firft nor the (econd year ; but youmuft expe& the proof of it in the third year, as Theophraftftiihew tih. Pliny writeth, that the Corn Siligo is changed into Wheat the fecond year. So all feeds, either by reafon that they are neglected, or because there is fome indifpofition either in the earth, or the air where they are, do oft-times degenerate from the excellen- cy and goodnefle of their kind, and become worfe. Virgiltmh obferved it : I have feen, faith he, the belt and choiceft things that were molt made of, at length yet to degenerate, unkfle mans induliry did yearly fupplythem with his help: fo fatal it is for all things to wax worfe and worfe, and l^ill to have need to be renewed. Galens father, a man very fludicus of Husbandry, efpecially in hisoldaoe, beftow- ed great pains and diligence to find out , whether the annoyances of fruits, thac which mars their pure goodneffe, did ipring up of it felf, or arifc out of any feeds of the fruits themfelves, which did degenerate into other kinds. Wherefore he took the pureft, and the cleaneft Wheat and Barley that he could get, and having picked out all ether feed whatfcever,fowed them in the ground : and when he found much Tares growing in the Wheat, but very little in the Barley, he put the fame experiment in other grain in practice ; and at laft found in Pulfe a hard and round Fetch ; and moreover, that the herb Axefceed did grow among Pulfe, by a kind of degeneration of the Pulfe into Axefceed. So, unkfle it be prevented by skill and pains,
The herb Ballamint will turn into a Mint,
Wherefore it mufl be often flhifced and tranfUted from place to place, left it fo de- generate, as Theophraftus counfelleth ; for when a man doth not look to it and dreffeir, the roots thereof will grow very large, and thereby the upper part being weakned, lofeth the rankneffe of his favour ; and that being loft, there remains in it but a weak fmell, the very fame in a manner that is in a common Mint. I m • felf have fowed Mint feed, and it hath been changed into wilde Peny-roial ; I mean, in favour onely : for the fafhion of the Mint remained ftillinit. Martial writes, Thac
Bajll-royal degenerates into wilde Betony9
if it be laid open to the Suns hoteft and greateft force : for then it ill bring forth fometimes purple flowers, fometimes white, and fometimes of a Roue colour. And it will not only degenerate into Betony, but into Ballamint alfo. Likewife the boughs of the fhrub Cafia, as Galen reporteth , will degenerate into Cinamon. Likewife
Cloves^ RofeS) V wlets, and GHli- flower sy of purple^ will become white y
either by reafon that they are old, or elfe if they be not well looked unto. For IheophraftuittcardS) that Violets, Rofes, and Gilli-flowers, if they be not well heeded, in three years will wax white; and the experience thereof I my felf have plainly feen. Neither yet will Plants degenerate one into another, only in fuch cafe as where there is a kind of vicinity and likeneffe of nature, but alfo where
there
Of the TroduBion of Mb Tlants* 6$
there is no fuch vicinicy, one plant miy be changed into another of a quite diffe- rent kind : for
An Oakjmay be changed, into a Vine,
Mhtrm reporteth, (if the thing be as true as it is ftrange ; but let the truth there- of lie upon his credit) he reports, I fay, that Oaken or Beechen boughs being in- grafted into the Tree My tica, is quite changed into it • andfo into the Tree called Tremifca, which is a bafer kind of wood: andlikewife if Oaken boughs be fetin the ground of Alummum, a place fo called , they will be quite altered into right Vines, fuch as their grapes yeeld good wine ; and fotnetimes the old Oaks, if they be pared, degenerate into Vines. But we muft not think that this change is made while thofe Trees or boughs laft ; but when once they are putrified, then the nature of the ground works into them, and changeth them into Vines,
Chap. III. How to make one fruit compounded of many,
AS we heard before of divers living Creatures, that they might be mingled in- to one, by copulation; fo new we will (hew alfo how to contrive divers kinds of fruits , by grafting into one fruit : for graffing is in plants the fame that co- pulation is in living creatures : yet I deny net y %ut there arc other means where- by this may be effected, as well as by graffing, But above all other, graffing is moft praife- worthy , as being the beft and fitteti means t6 incorporate one fruit into another, andfo of many to make one, after a wonderful manner. And whereas it may be thought a very toilfome, and indeed impofltble matter, here the excel- lent effect of the work muft i'weetcnai; thy labour, and thy painful diligence will takeaway the fuppofed impoffibilky of the thing, and perform that which a man would think were not pcflible to be done. Neither muft thou fuffer thy felf to be difcouraged herein by the fayings of rude Husband-men which have attempted this thing, but for want of skill could riot perform it, feeing experience teacheththee that it hath been done. Wherefore againft fuch difcouragements, thou muft arm thy felf with a due coniideration of fuch experiments as the Antients have recorded: as for example, that the Figge-tree may be incorporated into the Plane-tree, and the Mulberry-tree ; andlikewife the Mulberry-tree into the Cheftnut-tree , the Turpentine-tree, and the white Poplar, whereby youmayeft procure white Mulber- ries ; and likewife the Cheftnut-tree into a Hafel, and an Oak; and likewife the Pomegranate-tree into all Trees, for that it is like to a common whore, ready and willing for all Comers ; and likewife the Cherry-tree into a Turpentine-tree: and to conclude , that every Tree may be mutually incorporated into each other , as Columella luppofeth. And this is the caufe of every composition of many fruits into one, of every adopted fruit which is not the natural child, as it were, of the Tree that bare it; and this is the caufe of all ftrange and new kinds of fruits that grow. Virgil makes mention of fuch a matter, when he faith, that Dido admired certain Trees which (he faw , that bare new kinds of leaves, and apples that naturally were not their own. hndTalladius faith^ that Trees are joined together as it were, by carnal copulation, to the end that the fruit thereof might contain in it, all the excellencies of both the parents: and the fame Trees were garnifiied with two forts of leaves, and nouriftied with two forts of juices, and the fruit had a double reltfh, according to both the kinds whence it was compounded. But now, as we did in our traft of the commixtion of divers kinds of living Creature? ; fo here alfo it is meet to prefcribe certain rules , whereby we may caufe thofe. divers plants which we would intermingle, to join more eafily, and to agree better together, for the producing of new and compounded fruits. Firft therefore, we muft ice that either of the Trees have their bark of one and the fame nature : and both of them muft have the fame time of growing and (hooting out of their fprigs; as was required m liv ing creatures, that both of them (hould have the fame time of breeding their
young
6\. Natural Magigk. 'Boofo.
young ones : for if the graffc have a dry or a hard bark, and the ftock have a moift or fofC'bark, or that they be any way contrary each to other, we (hall labour in vain. Then we muft fee that the ingrafting be made in the pureft and foundeft place of the ftock , fo that it neither have any tumors or knobs, or any (cars, nei- ther yet hath beenblafted. Again, it is very material, that the young graffes or fhoots be fetcht from the molt convenient place or part of the Trees ; namely, from thofe boughs that grow toward the Eaft, where the Sun is wont to rile in the Summer-time. Again, they mult be of a fruitful kind, and be taken young plants, fuch as never bare fruit before. They muft alfo be taken in their prime, when they are beginning firft to bud, and fuch as are of two years growth, and likely to bear fruit in their fecond year. And the ftocks into which they art to be en- graffed> muft likewife be as young as may be graffed into ; for if they be old, their hardneffe will fcarce give any entertainment to ftrange fhoots to be planted upon them. And many fuch obfervations muft be diligently looked into, as we have (hewed in our book of Husbandry. But we muft not here omit to fpeak of the lome, or that clammy morter, which makes